


Keepsake

by AquosEvolved



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Family Bonding, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Sharing secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 19:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16501343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquosEvolved/pseuds/AquosEvolved
Summary: Gaius checks in on Gerome and soon finds that his future son isn't as detached as he would have liked him to believe.





	Keepsake

     After the unexpected skirmish with a pack of heavily armed Risen from earlier in the day, Gerome had swapped the black cloth he kept tightly wound around his left bicep for white bandages, courtesy of Cherche. (who took it as an opportunity to fuss over both his recklessness and over his stoic demeanor) Now, the wyvern knight sat alone in the tent he shared with Brady and Inigo, two pieces of a long strip of black cloth in one hand and a needle attached to a spool of black thread in the other. He hissed when someone wrapped against the canvas of the tent, breaking his concentration and causing him to jab himself in the finger.

     "Yes?" He called out to whoever was on the other side of the tent. The tent flap fluttered up behind him. Gerome held in a groan of annoyance; his response was not an invitation to come in.

     "Hey, kid. Just wanted to check up on ya." Gaius said casually. "How's that arm of yours?"

     "I'm fine." The wyvern knight replied flatly. "And I thought I told you not to call me that. I am not a child, you are not my father, and I am not your son."

     "Well, then. You're as much of a bundle of sunshine as ever."

     The canvas bottom of the tent shuffled as Gaius crossed over to squat down next to his future son. "Why's your finger all bloody? Do I need to take you back to the medical tent?"

     "I told you before; I'm fine. I merely pricked my finger while sewing." Gerome explained. Gaius peered over his shoulder to look at his work, just barely visible in the candlelight.

     "Sewing, huh? Guess your mother taught you that when you were a kid."

     "Yes."

     "So, uh, whatcha workin' on?" The thief asked. He shuffled on the spot to try to get a better look over the wyvern knight's shoulder.

     Gerome let out a muffled, exasperated sigh of annoyance; it was obvious enough that his attempts at trying to get Gaius to go away weren't going to work so he decided to take a break from his work and give the man the conversation he wanted. "If you must know, I'm repairing a keepsake." He held the partially re-stitched black cloth closer to the candle; it was hard to see in the faint light but there were multiple places where the cloth had been torn and carefully stitched back together previously.

     "Oh, yeah. This's what you always have around your arm, isn't it?" Gaius patted his own left bicep in the same place where the wyvern knight usually had the cloth tied.

     "Yeah, that's right." Gerome placed the cloth as well as his needle and thread on top of the crate being used as a makeshift table in the tent. He mentally prepared himself for the question that was almost guaranteed to follow.

     "What does it mean to you?" At this question, the wyvern knight let out a quiet exhale, picked up the cloth again, turned around to face the thief, and held the strip of cloth up to his own forehead; his hands moved as if to wrap it around his head. "That's one of mine, ain't it?" Gaius asked quietly.

     "Technically, yes." Gerome set the cloth back on the crate. "My father gave this to me when I was a boy. It's the only thing I have left to remember him by." After a brief pause, the wyvern knight scoffed. "Bah, why am I telling you this?"

     "Heh, never woulda pegged you for the sentimental type." Gaius laid a hand on Gerome's shoulder.

     "I swear to Naga if you tell anyone of this..." He threatened vaguely.

     "Hey, no worries. Thieves gotta keep all kinds of secrets and yours is safe with me." Gaius ruffled Gerome's spiky ginger hair; Gerome scowled and batted him away. "Though, I might tell your mom."

     After a pause, Gerome cracked the faintest of smiles, if only because he knew Gaius couldn't see it. "That would be fine, I suppose." 


End file.
